This trade was made possible in part by the seagoing plank canoe, or tomol, which was invented by 1,500 years ago. Villages along the coastline, on the islands and in the interior had access to different resources, which they traded with one another. Over time, the population increased and the people adapted their lifeways to the local environment. The area was first settled at least 13,000 years ago. In different parts of the region, people spoke six different but related languages. Before the Mission Period, the Chumash lived in 150 independent towns and villages with a total population of at least 25,000 people. The Chumash Indian homeland lies along the coast of California, between Malibu and Paso Robles, as well as on the Northern Channel Islands.
